Ice Cold Fires
by Chibi Envy Chan
Summary: While Hojo's hatching schemes to further science, other people are taking matters into their own hands. Will the 'good' doctor get what he rightfully deserves or will he get away with his crimes against humanity? Seph/Reno
1. Dude, who stole my Reno?

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, OC/OC  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

This is going to be a series of one shots. As to how many, I'm not sure how many I'll write for her. She's awesome.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs.

PhweePhweePhweePhweePhweePhweePhwee!

Green eyes glared at the intruder. "Fair, don't you have someone else to pester?" Meaning he was busy though it was an understatement of the year.

His second shook his head. "I've tried, but they're all busy."

"And I'm privileged to be grace with your presence?"

"Aw Seph, you don't mean that," Zack pouted but smiled impishly when he saw his superior flinch at the nickname. He clasped his hands behind his neck and stared at the ceiling.

"Then why are you here?" Sephiroth looked at his drawer that contained his medicine, more specifically his headache medicine. Too bad none of them could cure a Zack induced migraine. He needed the more potent stuff, and they were all located in Hojo's lab. Needless to say, he chose suffering over seeing the "good" doctor.

As soon as he said that question, the General his very being frozen from the inside out. Zack could be serious, but when he was, it usually meant trouble, real trouble, the kind that involved someone either dying or seriously injured.

"Reno and I were supposed to be hitting the bars tonight, but he's a no show. Tseng said he never reported for work after his latest assignment, and Rufus hasn't seen him for three days. You know how serious is about his work." Zack was serious.

No wonder why he never answered his PHS. To think, Sephiroth thought Reno was having one of those moments.

"Have you tried contacting any of the other Turks?" Sephiroth asked, masking his worry and concern behind cool indifference.

"You know it's hard to catch a Turk," Zack said as he plopped down on Sephiroth's desk, his hands on his lap. Years of Sephy-watching had helped him read his stoic superior. Sephiroth was more than interested in this particular Turk, and Zack's curiosity flat out demanded an answer.

"I am quite aware."

"Does that mean you're finally noticing I have talent?"

Sephiroth coughed.

"Fine be that way," Zack pouted childishly.

"Zachary Knight Fair."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Rude's out in the field and has been for a week. Elena's out of training, but she hasn't seen him either. The Turk trainees are too busy to notice his disappearance, and the back-up Turks have been training the newer members. Happy?"

"No, you mentioned he hasn't been seen anyone for three days." Serphiroth once again attempted to play cool and once again, he had been caught by his observant right hand man.

Why would the General of SOLDIER be interested in a fresh Turk? Well, he had worn the suit for a year. It should be his superior.

"Yeah. His last assignment was escorting something to our good professor, and I use the term loosely." By the time Zack looked back to his superior, all he found was an empty but swiveling chair.

Sephiroth saw red. With Masamune secured on his back, he was going to make HOjo pay. Of course, he wouldn't say why. For the records, he was helping out his good friend, Tseng. They had an understanding. He half expected to hear the stomping of his second.

It didn't take him long to reach the door to Hojo's lab nor did it take him long to rip both doors from their hinges, scaring the lab assistants and sending them into a frenzy panic.

Green eyes scanned the room for a shocking patch of red. When he couldn't find his primary target, he settled on the next best thing, Hojo. In a few graceful strides, he closed the gap between them and lifted the "good" professor effortlessly into the air.

"Sephiroth, your boosters isn't scheduled until next week unless you want them now. I can arrange it," he spoke as if he wasn't in danger of having his neck snapped like a toothpick.

"Where is he?"

"Who is this 'he' you speak of? I have so many subjects. You'll have to refresh my memory."

The General slammed him into the nearest wall. "You know how I'm referring to. Don't play dumb."

"I'm an old man. My memory isn't as good as it used to be." Hojo was definitely asking to be thrown out of the nearest window or be skewered by his sword. Scratch that, he wouldn't want any of Hojo's blood to spill on his precious Masamune.

"Sephiroth, that's enough." Zack had his arms full of a Turk. When did he get here? Actually, Zack could be stealthy when he wanted to be.

"You better be thankful I have an intelligent second in command." With a flick of his wrist, he sent Hojo crashing into his lab assistants.

Once Sephiroth was satisfied with the moaning and groaning, the SOLDIERs departed the lab to tend to an unconscious Turk.


	2. Sephiroth's Revenge

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs.

Second Phase: Sephiroth's Revenge

SephySephySephySephySephySephySephykins!

"Ya think he's alive?"

"I seriously doubt he's easy to kill."

"True. Turks have more lives than a cat!"

"Keep your voice down. You'll wake the other patients."

"What other patients? Ow! You don't have to be so physical."

"Sh…"

"What?"

"Would you up here? Some of us are trying to die in peace."

"Quit exaggeration," Sephiroth scoffed. Honestly, there was no need to be so melodramatic about it especially since it was only Hojo. It could have been worse. Then again, he had faced the worst the "good" doctor gave. "You're not going to die any time soon."

Reno's eyes shot wide open. He never expected the General of SOLDIER to be paying him a visit in the medical wing. Maybe he should get injured more often. "How awfully generous of you to grace me with your hot presence."

"Quite the contrary, I'm here to make sure my subordinate doesn't cause too much trouble or make pathetic attempts to pick up a nurse." Green eyes narrowed at his right hand man, who was attempting to look as innocent as possible.

"I'm not that bad," Zack pouted. He tried the kicked puppy look, but it didn't work on the General. How come he fell for it every single time those a certain pair of blue eyes looked at him that way? "And you know, I have been steady for three months." The spiky haired young man appeared to be extremely proud of this accomplishment.

"Wow," Sephiroth drawled, not bothering to hide his lack of enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, the Turk applauded with enough enthusiasm for the both of them. "Who would have thought someone was brave and patient enough to tame the wild SOLDIER? I guess he or she must be a saint."

More than indignant, Zack pouted again. "Hey! Is this pick on Zack day? I swear you three are conspiring against me." He flailed his arms around in random gestures though it made him look plainly ridiculous and continued in his rant, which was blatantly ignored.

"What's up with him?" Reno whispered, more out of habit than anything. SOLDIER hearing would allow Fair to eavesdrop on their conversation. It seemed he was too caught up in his personal speech to even notice.

The General merely shrugged. "It's a Zack thing. He think the whole world is against him today."

"Oh?" Reno said as he shifted his weight on his bed.

"Apparently," Sephiroth said, trying to ignore his subordinate, "everyone has something to say about him, some more than others."

The Turk grinned. "And I take it ain't positive?"

Sephiroth nodded his head slightly. He studied the Turk for a few moments. It was obvious Reno had a working brain. He didn't react in the slightest to the scrutiny. 'This is how a Turk should operate.'

"So you want me to tranq him?" The red head impishly suggested. Being a Turk meant he had access to certain equipment, one of which was a powerful enough tranquilizer to take out a SOLDIER first class. Still he had to be very, very careful. While it could take out SOLDIERs, it meant death to the non-enhanced people, particularly the Turks carrying them.

As tempting as it was, Sephiroth didn't want to even look at the ever growing stacks of paperwork. He kind of needed his second to be conscious to do the paperwork, not that he did much, but Sephiroth could always threaten him or something. "Very tempting, but I'll pass."

"Kay, but I'm still offering. So when am I going to be let out?"

"As soon as we can find a doctor to look over you," the General said as green eyes scanned the room and the corridors. "If he clears you, then you can leave as soon as possible."

The color drained from his face. "Please tell me it's not that Bastard who's currently passing himself as a doctor."

If Sephiroth had anything to say about it, the "good" doctor wasn't going to be within ten meters of Reno ever. "Not if I have any say in it."

Instead of his usual cocky smile, Reno genuinely smiled. It was strange to see Sephiroth actually caring about someone for a change. While he was glad the General started opening up, he wished he could have been the one to start it. Then again, he didn't have SOLDIER enhanced reflexes and doubted he would want to test it out. Sephiroth was lucky to have someone like at Zack by his side. Now he could hopefully continue the work.

"Let's find us a doctor!"

"I see you're conscious," a young doctor stepped into the room. He pushed up his glasses and studied his charts. Since his patient was a Turk, he didn't have access to their complete medical history. He normally didn't work with this group; hence, the secrecy. However, Tseng wasn't willing to trust their usual medical team. "We'll need to run a few tests on you to see if he hasn't done anything to you. Is there anything I need to know about? Allergies? Past injuries?"

"Yeah. Can you tranq him?" Reno pointed to the Lieutenant General, who was still going on and on.

"Um… okay."

SephySephySephySephySephySephySephykins!

Maya – This is my first time writing for this pair. XD But I'm glad you liked it. Oooooh, cookies! Chocolate? X3

YinYangWhiteTiger – I have the third chapter all planned out. Now it's a matter of writing it. But here's an update as promised. I'm planning on updating every Friday (can't guarantee a time) until this is finished.

Lemon Wine – Um… thanks?

BloodyChaosDragonKnight – XD Glad you like your gift. I had so much fun with Seph and Zack. For some reason, writing their interaction is very, very easy for me. I guess it's cause two of my characters are similar to them in personality and relationship. It's a funny story about them. When I created them, I had no idea about Zack or how Sephiroth behaved other than the Final Fantasy VII games. (Blush) Sankyuu.


	3. Turk or Turkey?

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs.

Third Phase: Turk or Turkey?

TurkTurkTurkTurkTurkTurkTurkey!

"Yo, boss man."

"Sinclaire," the Turk leader greeted. He noticed the younger Turk was tired, but it was only the start of his shift. Might not be fully recovered from his time with the good doctor.

"So any mission for me?" Despite his health status, Reno didn't want to be in the same building as Hojo for now… Maybe when he recovered, then he wouldn't be as cautious. Still, it was in a Turk's nature to be extremely wary especially when they were injured.

Tseng placed his packet down, a recent report from Hikari and Jordan, on the update of the latest Turk candidates. So far, this group looked promising. "Not for a week. The doctor said you're to be on light duty."

"Damn, but boss you know me and paperwork don't get along," Reno whined, scuffing the floor with his heel. He absolutely hated it, and even more, he despised appearing weak in front of his fellow Turks especially his boss.

The dark haired man sighed a long one and pinched the bridge of his nose. They were professionals. "Well, you had better kiss and make up then, because one way or another, it's going to be finished. He shuffled through the reports on the candidates, placing them from most likely to survive to least likely.

Had his boss made a joke? Even if it was a corny one, there might be some hope for him. The younger Turk stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Aw, I just released from the medical wing. Can't I recuperate?"

Tseng looked up from his papers. Reno didn't look too good, but he was well enough to pester people who should be working. Still, he didn't want the red head to think he could get his way whenever he asked for something. Tseng was not a pushover.

"You may take the rest of the day off as soon as you hand in the report from your last mission."

Reno shuddered. Oh how he'd like to forget about that experience, but if that was all he had to do, then fine. He'd write the damn report and be done with Shinra. "Kay, boss."

"And be sure to include as much detail as you can remember." Tseng never liked the professor, and for what he did to a fellow Turk, he was going to pay dearly. No one messed with them.

As usual, Reno opened his mouth to protest when he saw Tseng's expression and posture. The man wanted revenge, and Reno's job was to give his account. Sephiroth and Zack probably already gave theirs since they rescued him, according to Fair. "No problem. I can finish it in an hour. No half an hour."

"Good. You are dismissed."

Sauntering to his office, Reno grinned. They had been working together for a short time, but reading him was almost like reading Sephiroth. Eh, he could say the same thing about Angeal and Genesis except the latter was a whole lot insane.

They had left his office pretty much the same. It was a mess. Eh, he wasn't gone for long. One of these days, he should probably clean up. Nah, too much hassle. On second thought, it might be worth seeing their reactions. He cleared some space on his desk and immediately started working on his report.

Okay, maybe he exaggerated a little on the pain, but hey, that was his style.

Half an hour later or around that time, Reno finished his report with a gusto and stretched out. It didn't seem like thirty minutes went by, but his clock told him otherwise. All he needed to do was to hand his report in to the boss, and he could kiss this joint goodbye at least for today.

Standing up, he grabbed his report and was about to exit his office when he heard voices. Now if memory served him correctly, they were back-up Turks, nothing to worry about. Outside of the main Turks, there weren't many he trusted. The back-up Turks, he dealt with them a few times, but as a new main Turk, he needed guidance from the older ones. These two he could trust.

Reno opened his door and poked his head out. "Kari, Jordan, ya guys got a minute or two to spare?"

Jordan shook his head. "Babysitting duty. Sorry." He bid them farewell.

"Ah." Reno watched the elder of the two leave before inviting 'Kari' into his office. His easy going demeanor had been dropped as soon as the door closed. Unlike him, 'Kari' didn't like idle chat. He preferred to get down straight to business, kind of like Tseng but he could be either very gentle or very evil. It made Reno wonder if he was bipolar or had multiple personalites.

"I take it this isn't for tea or swapping recipes since we all know you can't be trusted to cook anything edible." In spite of his distant personality, he was observant and had a sharp tongue.

"No, it certainly isn't," Reno said, trying not to let his emotions show. He knew this wasn't going to be easy, but at least, Hikari wasn't going to tell everyone about this conversation. "While I was out of commission, what really happened?"

Ice blue eyes narrowed. Hikari tilted his head and thought about it. "Tseng didn't want you or any one of us to accept that mission, but the President hardly refuses Hojo's request. That's why he told all of us to keep a lookout for you especially around the time you should've finished. You know it's common for us not to report in right away, but we usually reported within a few hours even if it's only verbal. When it was confirmed you were MIA, Tseng wanted to send search party except…"

"Except what?"

"Except it had been denied. I don't know how or why. I suspect it has something to do with Hojo. Anyways, Tseng sent Rude out on missions in hopes of finding you while the back-up Turks kept our eyes and ears opened for any information. He sent Elena out on smaller missions around Midgar since she's new to this."

"I see. So that's why they didn't send someone. Heh, Tseng didn't get his job on looks alone."

"Agreed."

"About this conversation…"

"It never happened."

"Spoken like a Turk."

"Glad to see you back. If you don't mind, I'd like to surprise someone."

"Oh? Would it happen to be that cute SOLDIER buddy of yours?" A blush confirmed his answer, and the death glare being sent his way. "Okay, okay, sensitive issue aside. I'm glad to be back and in one piece." Now he just needed to hand in his report.

Turning to leave, Hikari whispered, "One of these days, he's going to get what's coming to him. I'll let you know when that happens." With that, he left a surprised Reno.

It was good having allies.

TurkTurkTurkTurkTurkTurkTurkey!

I hope I made a decent OC. He's one I've been using for awhile now, and I felt like Reno would have some people outside of the main Turks he can trust. Anyways, he probably won't show up or at least for the next few chapters.


	4. Turk Plus Alcohol Equals?

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs.

Fourth Phase: Turk Plus Alcohol Equals?

Mako?Mako?Mako?Mako?Mako?Mako?Mako?

Report finished, Reno wasted no time leaving the building. He didn't feel like going back to his apartment on Shinra grounds. There was a chance the slimy bastard could get him. After all, he had the full cooperation of the pres, and it was all in the name of science, his ass. He knew the president care what happened so long as he received the desired results.

Thinking about the bastard, the Turk wondered what Hojo did to him while he was unconscious. Several thoughts raced through his mind. He blanched at the thoughts of Hojo touching him intimately, and it nearly caused him to hurl. Even if he was the last doctor on the planet, he would rather risk dying than being treated by him. He never wanted any part of the doctor touching him even a finger.

Once he was off Shinra grounds, Reno hid within the shadows and checked his body for any abnormalities. So far, everything seemed to be okay. He didn't feel anything strange, considering Hojo tended to add odd things. On second thought, he'd worry about it tomorrow when he had time to rest and could concentrate.

Thankfully, the Turks had their own team of doctors, but that brought into mind the doctor who released him. The guy was either new or Reno had never seen him before. He figured it was the latter as the guy knew what he was doing. Still, he looked rather young. What was his name? Nathan something. He couldn't remember a last name. At least, he remembered a name. Perhaps, he could ask him a few questions and get a few testing done. After all, their normal doctors would have looked him over, but this doctor tended to him. Well, that was what the papers said. Maybe Tseng had something to do with this.

Eh, this was making his head hurt. He'd deal with it tomorrow. The same went for the General. This was so not his day.

Right now, Reno wanted to be plastered and forget what happened the past two weeks. Had it been that long? He wouldn't remember since he was unconscious for at least half.

The bottom plate had good bars even if the alcohol wasn't the greatest. They didn't ask questions, didn't bother him, and didn't care whether or not he belonged with Shinra. The places were dark enough to where he would blend in with the crowd or disappear all together should the situation call for it. They had enough light for him to navigate through without night vision goggles or mako running through his system, not that he had any mako. That went to the SOLDIERs. Lucky bastards, then again, he heard some pretty gruesome stories about their shots.

"Damn, I'm still in uniform," Reno muttered as he realized he had his distinguishable suit on. No wonder why people gave him wary looks and gave him wide berth. Man, he must be really out of it. He smacked himself a couple of times.

An inattentive Turk equaled dead Turk, and if he went down, he was taking Hojo with him. Hojo wasn't there so there was no point in dying any time soon. Reno scanned the area for any potential threats. Nothing he couldn't handle. The worst he had to deal with some drunken bozo hitting on him and pick pockets. They didn't stand a chance against someone who had been on the streets and knew his way around them.

When he reached the desired sector, Reno attempted to blend in with the crowd. Sadly, with his red hair and suit, it didn't work as he soon found himself in a headlock. How the hell did this happen? His first instinct was to lash out which was caught effortlessly.

"Zaaaaaacccccccckkkkkkk," someone whined.

"Don't be such a sissy. He can handle it. Can't you, Reno?" Zack teased, not letting the Turk out of his headlock.

"Of course I can handle it. I'm no Turk trainee. Dammit, it's uncomfortable, and you being a big SOLDIER lug ain't helping either." Reno tried not to sound like a whining kid. It really didn't hurt that much, not that he'd show it.

"Aw, princess, you don't mean that," the SOLDIER pouted.

"Yes, I do, and I'm not a fucking princess."

"… You're sleeping by yourself tonight," Cloud said that caused Zack to let go in a hurry and Reno to fall unceremoniously.

"But… but… Spike!"

Even though he was tired and humiliated, Reno laughed at the sight of the older SOLDIER and younger cadet. Cloud had Zack wrapped around his little finger without trying. "So whipped."

"No comments from the peanut gallery," Zack huffed, trying to regain some of his dignity. His ego had taken a critical hit. "Come on, Cloudy, let's get drunk! It's on me."

"But Zack, you can't get drunk!" Cloud almost yelled in exasperation.

"So?"

"Be thankful your paycheck's large enough," Reno said as he stood up and dusted his uniform, not like he was immaculate and well groomed. His paycheck was large enough too, but he wasn't enhanced; thus, those hangovers hurt like hell, yo! "Those mako treatments do crap to your tolerance. You might as well get drunk while you can, because once you become a SOLDIER, you'll need to buy an entire bar to get drunk. Enjoy it while it lasts."

Zack nodded his head and rubbed his chin as if he had a beard. "So true. I remembered when I found out. I was just a SOLDIER third. Man, those were fun times. So what brings you out here?" He hoped it wasn't for another mission like possibly pestering Aerith.

Reno grinned, hiding his inner turmoil and fatigue. "Getting drunk, what else?"

Ouch, Zack knew what that meant. He didn't blame the Turk, not with what happened within the past two weeks. If he had been in the same position, he'd want to get as drunk as possible and forget it even happened. "Job trouble? Or something else?"

The red head chortled. "More like that slimy bastard, but no talk about him. I say we hit the nearest bar!"

"Now you're talking my language… hey Cloudy! Where are you going?" Zack caught the blond by his wrist and tugged him, causing Cloud to fly into his open arms.

"I don't have any choice, do I?" Cloud sighed.

"Nope!" Reno and Zack chimed simultaneously. The two merrily dragged him to the nearest decent bar to hopefully forget about certain days.

Mako?Mako?Mako?Mako?Mako?Mako?Mako?

Sorry, it's late. I meant to get it out yesterday, but I spent a third of the day putting down flooring for a bathroom. Anyways, I'm going to change my update of this fic and another to Saturday. This gives me enough time to type it on my computer. I have chapters written. They just need to be typed. Yeah…


	5. In the Clouds

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs.

Fifth Phase: In the Clouds

ChibiChibiChibiChibiChibiChibiChibiPwnsAll!

"I'm going to get some drinks. What do you guys want?" Zack was willing to pay for Reno's first drink and anything Cloud wanted within reason. The blond was a lightweight when it came to alcohol, and the Turk could buy his own drinks.

Being with a SOLDIER and a Turk, Cloud found it easier to get around. His short stature didn't help at all except for being portable. People constantly bumped into him. "I don't know. This is my first time. You pick, I trust you."

"Famous last words," Reno snickered, receiving a glare from the SOLDIER. It was just too easy. "Okay, okay, the hardest drink they have."

Zack muttered something about ungrateful Turks as he made his way through the crowd. Maybe they should have chosen a less crowded bar. Then again, they had very good drinks at decent prices. Since they had good business, they might be able to afford to lower the price. Being on the bottom plate was hard enough.

Reno watched the SOLDIER's retreating back. "We'd better find a table. They can be very ruthless especially the drunks." He could see the whole innocent aura around the cadet. It seemed so strange to him, but he was a Turk and a damn good one at that.

"Oh," Cloud said as he trailed behind the Turk. He watched the sober people give way to the man in uniform. Then his eyes went back to Reno. In spite of his casual stance and carefree tone, his muscles were tense and his movements were rigid though he had to look very carefully. It practically screamed stress. What could cause a Turk (of all people) to be in such a state? It must be something big. They were trained to deal with all sorts of situations.

The cadet soon found himself at a now vacant table. Had he been that deep in thought that he lost track of his surroundings? Enough analysis between the two. Somehow, he doubted either of them wanted any type of interference. Cloud took a seat opposite of the red head. He tried not to fidget when those blue eyes looked over him.

"So you're the one who tamed Zack. Never thought he was into the innocent types." Reno shrugged, leaning back in his chair and waiting for their drinks to arrive.

Was that a complement or an insult? "Zack's not that bad," he pouted. The SOLDIER had been very good to him. Why would a SOLDIER first class (no less) be involved with a lowly cadet without using him?

Reno held up his hands in a surrender motion. "I'm not insulting ya. Don't get your panties twisted."

Cloud raised a brow. "Who said I'm wearing anything underneath?"

Wait a moment, wasn't he supposed to be the innocent one? The Turk laughed. "Damn, never thought you were the type to go commando. Zack must be corrupting you."

"Not really," Cloud said shrugging. "Never did like underwear. Mom kept embarrassing me."

"Oh man, do I know the feeling. Seriously, Zack's gonna love it."

"He doesn't know about it."

Tapping his finger on his chin, Reno commented, "My, my, keeping secrets from Zackie so early in your relationship?"

The blond shook his head and rested against the table. "He'll find out in time. Sides, it will be fun seeing his reaction, and I'm planning on having a camera on hand." He grinned impishly.

This time the red head really laughed. "No wonder why they say watch out for the quiet ones. To think, I thought you are the innocent one." What was taking Zack so damn long with their orders? He discreetly glanced over in the direction of the bar.

"Looks can be deceiving," Cloud simply replied. Now was a good time as ever. "Take the General for example. He isn't as cold or inhuman as people make him out to be."

Out of all the topics, Strife had to pick him! Reno became acutely aware of his tense posture. Maybe Cloud would overlook it or better yet not see it at all. Luck had been against him ever since the assignment. Cloud noticed him. How could he play this off?

"I know about your relationship with him for awhile. Zack does too."

Just great. Reno figured Zack would know. Sephiroth trusted his second in command, but Strife? He was casual friends with the General unless his lover told him. "Relationship? What relationship?" Zack needed to die.

Cloud sighed. "There's no need to hide it. You already know about my relationship with Zack. Sides, I figured it out on my own. Zack wouldn't tell me, his lover." He gestured with his hands as he spoke. A Turk was someone to be wary of. Plus, he was doing his best to hide his discomfort.

Reno's jaw dropped. "How did you?" He sat up in his chair.

"Figure it out?"

The red head nodded. They had been so careful too!

"Well, I was skeptical at first, but then the pieces started falling together. It wasn't easy making sense of it. I began suspecting something was off when I saw the General acting different around you." Cloud jabbed a finger in Reno's direction to emphasize his point.

"What do you mean by different?"

Only through weeks of Sephiroth watching enabled him to tell the difference. "He didn't seem to be so distant and was less cold, for a lack of a better term. It didn't feel like he was trying to be someone else, an image the company forced up on him. You know the battle hardened SOLDIER."

"Oh." Damn, Reno was still tense and around a cadet to boot.

"What threw me off was he acted the same way around Zack, Angeal, and Genesis. So I thought you might be close friends; however, there were even more subtle signs. The way he smiles even if it's small, and his sparkle in his eyes. I don't know what to call it, but there's an extra glow in them. It's more than what he does for his close friends."

Reno made the "go on" gesture.

"I've seen you coming and going from his office outside of normal hours, and no, I'm not talking him. His office is right next to Zack's."

Oh right, duh!

"This latest incident proved my theory. If anyone were to go after a missing Turk, it would be another or their leader, but Sephiroth was the one. I heard he charged into Hojo's lab, demanding you be released. He said it was a favor for Tseng, and now they're even. The thing is Zack told me he left when he heard about your disappearance."

"How sweet."

"Then he stayed by your beside as much as possible."

"He did?" Reno gasped. No one mentioned it to him.

Cloud nodded his head and rested it on his arms, which were propped up against the table. "Sephiroth dragged Zack there so he had an excuse to be there. Zack didn't complain a lot. He knew Sephiroth cared about you a lot."

"So he does care," Reno sighed out loud.

This made Cloud want to smack him upside his head. "Of course, he does care. He always has."

"What do you mean by that?" Dammit, Reno was supposed to be the Turk.

The blond looked like he was praying though his head rested against his hands. "I mean what I said. You know how the General is." Reno nodded his head. "Then I don't have to tell you he isn't the romantic or sappy like Zack, but he does have his own ways of showing he loves you. They're subtle. Unless you're looking for them, you would never see them. Remember the mission Zack went on last month?"

"Oh that one. Heard it was successful."

Cloud shook his head. "Everything that could go wrong went wrong. Ill equipped, Zack tried to make the best of the situation until reinforcements arrived. They wouldn't make it in time, but somehow Sephiroth happened to be in the right place at the right time. He helped Zack though it never went on the record. They both knew it meant trouble for Zack even if it wasn't his fault. They didn't have the right man power, equipment, or enough information. Then afterwards, the General looked after him. Zack had been feeling down, because he thought he failed Sephiroth and Angeal. It took all four of us to pull him out."

"How did you find out about that if it was never on the record?" Information like that was confidential.

"Guess who played therapist."

That made sense. "Still, it doesn't seem we have anything at all."

Smack!

"Hey, what the hell did you do that for?"

"For being an idiot. Sephiroth does care; otherwise, he wouldn't be going out of his way to show it. Remember, he's on a short leash. He can't behave or act as he pleases. Yet somehow, he manages to do the little things to show that he loves you and only you."

Reno let out a strangled laugh. "To think, I made it as a Turk, and I didn't even see it. Heh."

The cadet shrugged again. "Too involved?"

"Nah, Turks are supposed to be level headed. Can I interest you in joining the Turks? We could always use someone of your talents, and I think we have a couple of openings."

"No way." Cloud crossed his arms, forming an X and pulled them to his side. "I'm here for SOLDIER and only SOLDIER."

"What a shame. We could have been partners."

"Fat chance."

"Oh well. You would make a good Turk. If you ever change your mind, I'll put in a good word for you. Who knows? I might become your mentor."

Before Cloud could respond, a frustrated Zack showed up.

"Damn fan girls."

ChibiChibiChibiChibiChibiChibiChibiPwnsAll!

Yay for a perceptive Cloud. I hope I kept Cloud as much IC as possible. I figured he would be perceptive enough to put the pieces together, and he has enough information to figure it out. Plus, I needed someone to give Reno a good kick to his rear as far as their relationship goes.

As for Reno, he's just too involved to think rationally.

Hope you enjoy this long chapter.


	6. And the Plot Thickens

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs.

Sixth Phase: And the Plot Thickens

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A lightweight blond slung over his shoulder, Zack decided it was high time they left. Who would have known two drinks was his limit, and they weren't particularly strong? Even then, it shouldn't be enough to cause him to be in such a state, but then again, he did have a little from Zack's strong drinks. "We're heading back. Spike needs to rest." Out of all the responses, he wasn't expecting this. Reno was so lively whenever they went bar hopping. Frankly, this was disturbing. Maybe he was exhausted or something happened while he was gone? Nah, Cloud was too sweet, too innocent to do anything of that sort.

Reno nursed his second drink, mulling over what the cadet told him. Thinking about it, several thoughts flew through his mind. He remembered the little things Sephiroth did after their relationship started if one could call it that. It didn't seem much at the time, but Strife had a point. The General couldn't be seen in public with a significant other. He had too many admirers and enemies, not that the Turks didn't have their fair share in enemies.

"Yo, Reno, you there? I know you can't be buzzed. You haven't even finished your second round." Zack was tempted to rap his knuckles on that head of red hair. Very temping though he doubted the Turk would appreciate it.

Spacing out again. Reno might as well be a dead Turk. At least then, Reno wouldn't have to deal with all this confusing crap. "Yeah, yeah, I'm still here."

"Good. You kinda had me worried there." They were great drinking buddies even though they were a Turk and a SOLDIER (not so friendly relations between the groups), but Zack considered them to be friends. He clamped down on Cloud's thighs as the blond started to squirm, nearly causing Zack to drop him. And boy would he pay for it, assuming the cadet found about it.

"Aw, you're so sweet," Reno said in his usual joking manner. It didn't help alleviate his dark feelings.

Zack clapped a hand on his back, being careful not to send the Turk sprawling. "We're buddies so of course I'm going to be concerned. Hey, if you need anything, except Cloud, just drop by, and if Seph's being a pain in the ass, I'll kick it for you."

The red head finally smile a genuine one, albeit small. "Thanks, man."

"Any time." The SOLDIER waved and started to head out when he heard Reno called out his name. He turned to see the Turk with a serious expression.

"You know you're a lucky guy," Reno said wistfully while looking straight at Cloud. "There aren't many like him. Hold onto him. And if you make him cry, I'm personally going to kick your ass, SOLDIER or not."

"As if you could, but yeah, I'm one very lucky guy." With that, Zack left Reno to his beer and thoughts about Sephiroth.

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Where were you last night?"

"Elena, you're not my boss," Reno groaned, thankful he only had two drinks. He doubted he could drink any more and be able to make it to their mandatory weekly meeting on time. At least, no one noticed his messier than usual attire.

The blonde Turk huffed. No wonder the reputation of the highly regarded and feared Turks was declining. "I tried calling you last night five times. You could have at least answered or left I dunno a message?"

"Get off my back," the red head growled. Wasn't he supposed to be her senior even if only a year? "I had permission from the boss."

Elena gave him a skeptical look. It wasn't out of character for him to lie about it and go bar hopping. If she wanted to babysit, she wouldn't have joined the Turks. "We had a close call last night. The President was nearly killed! Since I couldn't contact you, I had to call in the back-up Turks. What weren't you thinking?

Reno almost cringed. He liked his job, especially the pay. Old man Shinra deserved to die in his opinion, but his opinion never counted.

"That's enough, Elena," Tseng scolded as he took his seat at head of the table. Along with the main line Turks, there were a few back-up Turks, Hikari, Jordan, and Mallorie. They were all present when it all went down. "I gave him the day off."

Her lip lightly quivered. "But sir, the punishment he gave you. It isn't right!"

'What punishment?' This caught Reno's attention.

Tseng shook his head and calmly replied, "It is mine to bear so long as I know you're all safe." For any of them, he would gladly lay his life down. He needed all of them to be there. Rude was running late as he hadn't seen the dark skinned Turk.

The red head looked down at his hands, twisting them. He had gotten his boss into trouble and for his selfish gains. What kind of Turk was he? They were supposed to stick together.

"I don't blame you." It didn't take Turk training to figure out what was going through Reno's mind. Sometimes, it was easy reading the red head especially when he lowered his guard and was very emotional.

"Hwah?"

"You're blaming yourself for what happened to me. I made those decisions, and I will be responsible for them." Tseng motioned him to come closer. "The President is only interested in results. If you feel anything unusual or wrong about a situation, don't hesitate to tell me. I'll take care of it."

"Okay."

The President and Hojo were going to pay dearly.

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The plot definitely thickens. 0.o Originally, I planned this to be a series of one shots as a present for a good online friend; however, it evolved into this story. I'm thinking it's going to be at least ten chapters. Maybe I'll even go up to twenty. Who knows?

Still, I'll definitely finish this… eventually.

OCs in it though they're only mentioned in it like furniture. I wanna Hikari chair. XD

Reviews make Chibi happy, and a happy Chibi means Chibi will not procrastinate in posting the next chapter.


	7. Sephykins!

Title: Ice Cold Fires

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors. 

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs. 

Seventh Phase: Sephykins!

ZackZackZackZackZackZackZackFair!

Today was a very long day, and Zack didn't help the situation at all. If anything, the SOLDIER made it worse. Dammit, he was the General, leader of SOLDIER, not some whiny grunt or Zack. Then again, his second in command was in his own category though he suspected there might be another person, namely in the Turks. 

It didn't take a clock or his magnificent view from his office to tell him it was late. He missed dinner again. Oddly enough, Zack wasn't around to remind him as usual. His subordinate was probably training his protégé, aka the cutest little fluffball on the planet. That or he was hanging out with his SOLDIER buddies. 

As it was late, Sephiroth figured he'd grab something on his way to his apartment, damn that horrible diet Hojo had him on. There were vending machines throughout the buildings except the SOLDIER housing. They were originally filled with only healthy snacks, but no one bought them. The president lost money on this so he gave them what they wanted, and sales increased. 

Looking at his inbox, Sephiroth sighed a long one. He only had three thin packets left. He managed to finish the majority of the paperwork that had accumulated over the past few days. Normally, he'd pass some of it to the slacker; however, he didn't have a high enough clearance, which confused the both of them. As second in command, Zack should know almost everything that Sephiroth knew. Tomorrow was another day, and he hoped he wouldn't receive an avalanche of paperwork. 

Standing up to leave, Sephiroth heard someone outside his door. Could it be Zack? No, he was louder and tended to announce his presence ahead of time especially when he came to see him. Cloud tended to be quiet though he normally stopped at Zack's office. He wasn't sure what to make of the shy cadet except he was a good influence on his right hand man. Outside of them, no one dared visit him that late unless it was an emergency. 

Before he could say anything, a certain person entered the room without knocking, a large bag hanging off his hand. The body covered a logo, preventing from seeing where he had acquired it. 

"What is it?"

"Aw, is that how you greet your sweetheart?"

"Reno, what are you doing here?" Sephiroth resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. Why was he drawn to these unusual people? Genesis and Angeal, he could understand. They had practically grown up together. 

Reno held up his bag. "I bought dinner, and it's on me so let's dig in."

How did Reno know?

In response to his silence, Reno chuckled and allowed his arm to fall back down without dropping his cargo. He bravely took several steps forward until he reached the desk. "Heh, I'm a Turk so I'm supposed to know things."

"I see."

"So you gonna eat? I made sure I bought your favorites." Reno placed the bag underneath his nose in attempt to tempt him to eat something. If anything, it could be called a date even if it was inside. That was enough for him. Besides he wasn't the mushy romantic type either. 

Even though he was a SOLDIER first class and top of the food chain, Sephiroth was still human; therefore, he needed to eat. When did he have lunch? It was so long ago, and he didn't eat a lot. The delicious aroma captured his attention. Damn, he wasn't supposed to cave in like that. 

"No thanks," the General curtly replied. He turned to walk around his desk when he heard the Turk laughing. How rude. He had half a mind to tell off the red head when he saw Reno smile. 

"Is that so?" The General nodded his head slowly. "Then why is your stomach making those noises or is it a side effect of mako treatments?"

Quickly turning his head, Sephiroth tried to hide his slight blush. He cleared his throat. "Very well. Meet me at my apartment. You know the routine." 

Reno grinned. He'd have to thank Angeal for the information about his favorite foods and Zack for knowing which buttons to push. Tonight, they'd spend some time together. They could use some time for relaxation. Maybe he could convince the General to unwind a little, preferably in his comfy bed. 

Following Sephiroth, he exited the office and walked in a different direction. They couldn't be seen going to his apartment together. It was more for Reno's safety. Sephiroth was too valuable to the company; however, Reno was expendable. 

As he made his way to Sephiroth's apartment, Reno started to appreciate what the General did to protect him. They knew the different outcomes, but they all ended negatively for the Turk or at least most of them. 

Cloud was right. Sephiroth went out of his way to show his love and concern. Who would have thought the General to be romantic?

ZackZackZackZackZackZackZackFair!

Notes!

Okay, this is going to definitely be AU. I'm not taking the events of CC into account for this fic. Angeal and Genesis are in this; however, Genesis has been promoted so he's now Sephiroth's equal as far as rank is concerned. Angeal is his second in command. However, between Sephiroth and Genesis, Seph is higher rank. 


	8. Double O Reno

Title: Ice Cold Fires

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors. 

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs. 

Eighth Phase: Double O Reno

ChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsAll!

Stretching out, Reno glared at his alarm clock and wished he had his gun, right now. The shrilly warking made him cringe. Why did he buy the damned thing? Oh wait, he didn't. A fellow Turk bought it for him when he survived his first year. Which one was it? It was either Tala or Hikari. Bastards though they were part of the few he could really trust. 

Once he turned it off, the Turk was about to get ready for the day when his PHS started ringing. Outside the Turks, there weren't many people who had his personal number. However, the number wasn't familiar, and he didn't have it in his phone book. 

"Reno here."

"You need to lay low." He sounded desperate and worried. 

The Turk raised a brow. "And why should I, a Turk, hide?" He really needed to know as he knew the dangers of not heeding warnings. One of his peers ignored his mentor and ended up being killed for a rookie mistake. His mentor made it a point emphasize it during his training. 

"Not a direct physical threat, but he does carry a lot of influence. He's actually out of his lab." That was definitely not good. Hojo wasn't known for leaving his precious lab except for mandatory meetings and for reminding his favorite test subject of a missed appointment. 

"Thanks for the heads up. I owe you one. Hey, how did you get my number?" Reno needed to find that leak. He suddenly realized he had been on the verge of shredding his innocent pillow. 

A chuckle passed through the line. "That's my secret."

"I'm telling you should join our team. We could use your help." He released his death grip on his pillow. 

"And I keep telling you, I'm here for SOLDIER." 

"Don't you have class to attend?"

"Originally. Zack doesn't want me to be going, and I should go. They could be monitoring your calls." 

Reno nodded even though the other couldn't see him. They both knew the risks, but the cadet was willing to call him. "Tell your roomie I said hi."

"Sure thing.'

The disconnected tone didn't surprise him. They shouldn't spend a lot of time talking. Someone could easily listen into their conversation since it was Reno's phone. They monitored his phone from time to time, but not all the time. It required too much on their part for continual monitoring, and Shinra was stingy in that aspect. 

If that bastard was on the loose, then Reno should lay low. He hated the thought of hiding from that slimy bastard. Until he regained his full strength, he wouldn't be sent far or on a high level mission. Tseng had specifically assigned his missions. 

Running his hand through his hair, Reno resumed getting ready for the day. He needed to get to the Turk offices without Hojo seeing him. That shouldn't be too hard. The guy wasn't liked by most. How could one crinkly, old man make so many enemies by living?

ChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsAll!

"Reno, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get to our offices," Reno scowled at being caught. Thankfully, it was one of his own. "Now, no talking to me." He disappeared into the shadows.

Elena shook her head. Things were becoming tense around them. As the new Turk, she had no clue as to the extent of them. None of her fellow main line Turks were willing to tell especially Tseng, which annoyed her to a certain extent. Dammit, she was one of them and could be trusted. 

Entering the Turk main room, Reno came out of the shadows. Hojo wouldn't dare show his face there. If anything, he hated dealing with the Turks, which was fine with them. Sadly, he needed their services for secret and important tasks. 

Dark eyes looked up from the main table. "Hojo?"

"Unfortunately," Reno sighed as he plopped on a couch. 

"I hear you." Tseng needed to act on this, but he needed the cooperation of SOLIER. In spite of their feud, he doubted they'd refuse. They all hated him. 

"The bastard."

"Not much we can do."

Tired of their cryptic messages, Elena decided to work in her office. 

ChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsChibiPwnsAll!

If it's confusing, here's the run down. The Turks have main room where they have a lounge type area, coffee maker, fridge, and the common stuff. Off to one side, you have a large office with several desks. These are for the Turk back-ups. Each mainline Turk has his/her own office and Tseng's is the largest of them. The head of the Turk-back ups has one though it is the smallest out of the individual offices. 

Enjoy this two chappie update. It's a way of saying sorry I didn't update fast enough. It's not that I'm not writing them. XD Hee. It's more like I love writing them but hate typing them out on my computer. Yush, I write in pen first. 

Reviews?


	9. Only Hojo

Title: Ice Cold Fires

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my two OCs.

Ninth Phase: Only Hojo

GiftGiftGiftGiftGiftGift

Tseng glared at the offending request from the good doctor as if it was slime on the bottom of an old fridge. Might as well be. It had only been a week since Reno was released from the medical wing. He should have fully recovered by now, he hadn't improved much. No one knew what Hojo had done to him, not even Reno himself.

"Boss, glaring at it won't make it burst into flame. Only Sephiroth can do it, and you know how he's about his trademark secrets."

The Turk leader sighed. "What is it?"

"Hikari reporting with information regarding the science bastard."

This caught his attention. He didn't have enough information, but he guessed this latest request had nothing to do with a secret delivery and more to do with the delivery boy. "Go on."

"From what I observed, he seems to be acting normal or for him it is. Most of the time, he's in his labs; however, his trips outside has increased by three hundred percent after Reno's release."

As he thought, the doctor wanted to examine Reno. That wasn't going to happen. Perhaps, they could use this to their advantage. Without ShinRa support, Hojo was fair game, and man, did he have a lot of enemies. How could one frail looking old man gain so many enemies?

"Aside from the extra trips, have you noticed anything else unusual?"

Hikari tilted his head. The doctor was a strange one. Then again, that would be like the pot calling the kettle black. "Has he been known for holding entire conversations with himself?"

"Not entire ones, but he has been known to mutter things. Is there anything else?"

"He always keeps looking at this particular folder. I can't read his messy scrawls. Reminds me of chocobo scratches. It has no unusual markings and is red colored."

The warning bells were ringing very loudly in Tseng's mind. This confirmed his suspicions. He needed to have a talk with the vice-president. Shinra wouldn't listen to him on matters like this; however, this son wasn't ruthless. Okay, maybe he was, but he certainly wouldn't do something that stupid when it would endanger his position or cause people to rebel against him especially the Turks. Tseng also had a feeling Rufus wasn't fond of his father.

"Should I continue monitoring him?" Hikari didn't mind it since he sometimes tortured Hojo for the fun of it. It was amusing to watch Hojo when he 'misplaced' his lab equipment or when certain pictures kept popping up everywhere.

Yes and keep up the pressure." Tseng knew the young Turk wouldn't pass up this opportunity to pester Hojo. If he was correct, Hikari was already annoying the 'good' doctor, which would explain his frazzled appearance the last time they met.

Hikari grinned impishly as he gave a salute. "Yes, sir."

GiftGiftGiftGiftGiftGift

Reno yawned. Why wasn't he getting better? It seemed he needed more sleep than usual, which killed his night life. Zack certainly wasn't taking the news well. The SOLDIER had other drinking buddies, but it wasn't the same. They all had high alcohol tolerances, those bastards.

His clock cheerfully informed him it was too early for dinner, but not time to punch out. It felt like forever, but that could be all the paperwork he had been stuck doing for the past few days.

Stretching out, Reno was about to leave when he heard that all too familiar and creepy voice. Shouldn't he be cooped up in his office or lab? More to the point, what was he doing here? He didn't like anyone even the Turks who occasionally ran a few errands for him. Since he couldn't leave, he might as well eavesdrop on the conversation.

"I'm authorized to enter whenever I please." That voice was annoying as hell.

"You aren't a Turk or our boss so unless you want to be thrown out, I suggest you turn and leave now."

Ah, good old Elena, trust her to stick to the rules. Normally, it grated on his nerves, but this time, it was a blessing in disguise.

"I am part of the committee," the doctor rasped.

"And your point is?"

For once, Reno actually liked her stubbornness. Right now, Reno could actually kill the younger Turk except Sephiroth would probably plot her demise. Maybe a hug was safer.

"As a member, I get special privileges."

"Of course you do." Elena wasn't buying anything.

"Move, bitch."

A silence enveloped the room, and Reno swore the temperature plummeted. This was a bad sign. At least, it wasn't directed at him like it usually was. He muffled himself when he heard several slaps and punches before hearing someone being unceremoniously tossed out of the Turk headquarters. Who would have ever thought Hojo could reach that high note?

"Nice one," Reno complimented, giving her a thumbs up. Let the medics find him… hours later.

"Thank you." The younger Turk straightened out her suit.

GiftGiftGiftGiftGiftGift

Hikari's such a bastard but a cute one. He's one of my favorite characters and the younger of twins. One of his favorite past times includes torturing people. (huggles)


	10. Such a Puppy

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my OCs.

Tenth Phase: Such a Puppy

Genesis?Angeal?Sephiroth?Genesis?Angeal?Sephiroth?

Like any other day at ShinRa, today promised to be yet another shitty day. Sephiroth noticed the ever growing stack of paperwork on his desk. Was it him or did the damn pile increase a centimeter each day? Did they have nothing to do than make him, the commanding officer of SOLDIER, a secretary? He'd rather not think about it. Heads would be rolling if that happened.

Reaching for another paper, Sephiroth twitched when he heard his door slam shut. "How many times must I tell you not to slam—"

Zack rushed forward, casting a breeze that knocked off the top layers of papers. "Dr. Creepy's on the move, and he's pissed off."

What did this have to do with him? "I thought you weren't afraid of him." He placed down his paper and gave his second in command his full attention.

The dark haired SOLDIER shook his head. "No, I'm not, but he has the authority to examine anyone he sees as unfit. I heard he's taken in the younger Tailor cousin but released him shortly after. Heh, I guess it's a good thing to have a connection with a Turk."

Rather than scold Zack for messing up his immaculate desk, the General straightened out his papers. "I see."

"He's been out a lot recently," Zack mused out loud. He then began pacing back and forth in front of the General's desk, much to the irritation of his superior, who placed tacky weights on his stacks to prevent his papers from escaping again. "What do you think it means?"

"Hojo doesn't come out of his lab without a reason," Sephiroth said after a period of silence. He leaned forward and rested his head on his arms, a habit he picked up from one of the many scientists in his youth. "He doesn't like any unsterile room and tries to shirk his duties as a committee member."

In spite of his ever growing anger, Sephiroth remained in control. No one messed with SOLDIER firsts and got away with it. He'd have to thank the Turk. Perhaps, SOLDIERs and Turks should work together. They both hated the 'good' doctor. In the next meeting, he'd bring it up.

The dark haired SOLDIER stopped his pacing. "Why am I not surprised? He treats everyone as if they were beneath him. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to take out our boss."

Sephiroth scoffed. Hojo wasn't that stupid. He needed the funding for his projects, but there was a younger Shinra. Without a doubt, Hojo would use Rufus until he deemed the blond useless.

"That's brilliant."

"What?" Normally, his schemes were foolish or half-baked, according to his superior. This wasn't even a scheme.

Placing his arms on his desk, Sephiroth looked deadly serious. "We can kill two birds with one stone." He received a blank look from his second. "We can pit them against each other. If Hojo manages to kill Shinra, it's ground to fire him, replacement or not available. He's known for being very paranoid, and it will be easy to push his buttons. However, if it's the other way around, we'd have one less mad scientists to worry about though I prefer the first."

"Oh." Now they only needed the details. "Are you going to let the Turks in?"

"Perhaps," Sephiroth replied. They deserved as much of a chance to take down Hojo, but the problem lied in their loyalties. Were they loyal to the president or his son? If they agreed, this increased their chances. They were known for their stealth and infiltration. "In the meantime, do not tell anyone, not even your 'cute' room mate. Nothing is certain, and I'm sure you don't want him to be caught in the middle of this."

No way in hell did he want Cloud to be hurt. "Of course not. What about Angeal and Genesis?"

"Not until we have an idea of what we're going to do," Sephiroth answered without batting an eye. He didn't want to risk their lives most of all. He rubbed his temples when he saw Zack pouting.

"You know it's hard for me to keep secrets from him."

"Fine, I'll rearrange your schedule." Irritating but necessary.

Zack beamed and glomped him. "Sankyuu."

"Get off," Sephiroth scowled, attempting to pry off his second in command.

"Bad puppy, must I smack you with a rolled up news paper?"


	11. The Angel

Title: Ice Cold Fires  
Author: Chibi Envy Chan  
Rated: PG-13  
Warnings: male/male relationship  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno, Zack/Cloud, Wesley(OC-SOLDIER First Class)/Hikari (OC-Turk Back-Up)  
Extra: This is a gift fic for Chaos Silk on Gaia, aka BloodyChaosDragonKnight. She's a good writer. Check out her fics if you like to laugh. XD I have her under my fave authors.

Disclaimer: Square Enix pwns all characters except my OCs.

Eleventh Phase: The Angel

AngealAngealAngealAngealAngealAngealAngealHewley!

One minute he was teasing his former student and the next he was on the floor. Angeal half-heartedly pushed the younger SOLDIER off, but he wouldn't budge. All those mako treatments, how could he forget how strong his puppy had become? "Zachary Knight Fair." Sadly, it fell on deaf ears.

More than amused, Sephiroth allowed this behavior to continue until Angeal looked thoroughly frustrated. He reached over and pulled hard on his second in command's ear.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Easy on the ear, Seph!" Zack pitifully whined. As soon as it was released, he gently rubbed his poor appendage. He stuck out his tongue childishly while his former mentor had his back to him.

Sephiroth merely shook his head at Zack's antics. Then he turned his attention to his newest visitor. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Most people didn't know how close these two were. They were like brothers and best friends. So it didn't make sense for Commander Hewley to be fidgeting like a fan boy. He appeared hesitant on relaying his message. If anything, the lack of eye contact signaled bad news.

"What's wrong?" Zack asked before the General could formulate the question in his mind. Everyone knew Zack was better at dealing with people. He just had this friendly aura around him. As he moved closer, he was stopped.

"Everything," Angeal growled. He threw the unfortunate folder on Sephiroth's desk. It contained the reports of all the missing SOLDIERs in the past two weeks. They were all linked to Hojo in some manner.

This was certainly news to him. He looked through the documents. A total of five went messing: two thirds, two seconds, and one first. The first was the latest in the string of MIA; however, his case only had the preliminary report as the Turks needed to investigate the scene thoroughly. "Were they listed as AWOL?"

"Four of them. One went missing during patrol. Evidence shows he was ambushed, but it could have been a cover up if it hadn't been for Genesis persuading them to reveal any information out of the accompanying troopers. They were told to keep silent." Normally calm and in control, Angeal maintained a stoic but serious and stoic appearance, but this nearly made him lose his infamous composure.

Being good at reading people, Zack knew this heavily affected his former mentor as well as Sephiroth. Having mastered the Angealean language, he had no trouble with Sephirothos. Unlike what most people thought, Zack knew when to be quiet.

"Unacceptable, completely unacceptable," Sephiroth seethed with uncontrolled rage. He clenched his fists, knowing what kind of damage he could do. As head of SOLDIER, he should be informed of this. "Do you know where these orders are coming from?"

Angeal shook his head. "Not yet, but we suspect Hojo. We're looking into the matter, but this isn't our usual duty. It may take longer to find anything."

"Understandable. This is more on the Turks' side." Sephiroth felt like punching someone, preferably Hojo. This made him want to start their plan as soon as possible. No doubt, there would be a few opposed to this SOLDIER.

"What's our plan?"

The General blinked a few times.

"You're concocting a plan right now. I know you better than you think so you can't deny it." Angeal wanted in on the plan. He waited patiently as his long time friend considered this.

Sephiroth couldn't deny he was up to something, but he didn't want Angeal to be caught up in this mess. The same thing could be said about Zack. They were both first classes and knew the risks involved, but he wasn't about to risk it when he had the power to prevent it.

"Nothing has been planned. I've only been informed of this minutes ago." It was the truth.

For a short time, Angeal didn't look like he'd accept. "When you do come up with a plan, please inform me. I'd like a chance to avenge the missing." No words were necessary. They all knew what horrible experiments Hojo was capable of inflicting.

"I shall let you know."

With that being said, Angeal bid them farewell. He trusted his long time friend and knew he'd do something about this mess.

"So are we going to tell them?"

"Zack, not now."


End file.
